Process of treating brittle vegetable fibers of kapok and other plants.



UNITED STATES i: EQE,

EMIL GUSTAV STARK, OF ALTOHEMNITZ, NEAR CHEMhl'ITZ, GERMANY.

PROCESS OF TREATING BRITTLE VEGETABLE FIBERS 0F KAPOK AND OTHER No Drawing.

1 all whom it may 'concerh Be it known that I, EMIL GUSTAV STARK, a subject of the German Emperor, and residing at Altchemnitz, near Chmnitz, Germany, have invented a certain new and useful improved process of treatingbrittle vegetable fibers of kap'ok and other plants for uniformly dyeing, spinning and working them into yarn'and twine, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to processes for the treatment of a number of vegetable fibers, particularly the down or h'airof the seed,

of kapok (Em'odendron n nfractuosum), UaZ- ozropzs procera, pseudo-china, cotton silks,

acundha, and, indeed, all the fibers, i. e. the hair of the seed, of the group of Asclep'ias, and the like, most of which are designated cotton silks, have a beautiful brilliant appearance, and are brittle in their natural condition, so that they cannot be spun.

A primary object of my invention is to provide a process which enables these vege table fibers,.z'. e. the hair of the seed, to be spun. I

According to my process the smooth surface of the vegetable fibers, treatedwith suitable so1vents, is'shrunk and converted into a rough surface. When treating the vegetable fibers with the solvents those substances are simultaneously removed from the vegetable fibers which cause the brittleness of the fibers. These are int-rusting substances both of inorganic and organic nature; The solvent is caused to act on the fibers until the .incrusting substances have for the most part passed into the solvent. The solvents can act at an ordinary temperature on the vegetable fibers, but in order to accelerate the treatment, I prefer to heat them. 4

When aqueous solvents are. employed. I may add coloring-matter to the solvent in order to dye the vegetable fibers.

My process characterized above by its general principal features may be carried into practice in various ways according to the solvents selected in each instance. For example, the incrusting substances may be removed from the vegetable fibersby extraction by means of a dilute aqueous solution or" glue, preferably at a temperature of C. to nearly 100 (1. according to the nature of the fibers in each instance. Also, a very small admixture of alkali is preferable in Specification of Letters I'atent.

Patented Apr. as, rare.

Application filed March 14, 1919. Serial No. 549,232.

individual instances, when the'last mentioned solution is employed, according the natureof the vegetable fibers in each Obviously my new process is not only up plicable for the vegetable fibers named iabove, but also for those vegetable fibers which possess similar qualities as the fibers, 1'. 6. the hair of the seed, of kapok (Eriede'ndron anfract'uoawn) and cotton silks generally.

, I claim 1. The herein'described process of treatmg brittle vegetable fibers, e. the (town or hair of the seed, of kapolt (firiodeadaoa'anfractuosum), UaZotroprz's prone-m, pseudo-- china, cotton silks, acundha, of the group of Asclepias and the like, most of which are designated cotton sillm, which consists in treating the fibers with a dilute, aqueous solution of glue, thereby dissolving a portion of the incrusting substances wit in the single hair, extracting the same therefrom and thereby shrinking the smooth surface of the fibers and converting it into a rough surface.

2. The hereindescribed process of treating. brittle vegetable fibers, z'. e. the down or hair of the seed, of kapok (ErZ-nziendron (infractuosum), Ualotropis gn'occra, pseudo-china,

ion

anfmctuoswn), Galotwpia procera, pseudochina, cotton silks, acundha, and of the group of Asclepias and the like, most of which are designated cotton silks, which consists in macerating the fibers With dilute tannin-liquor, and subsequently treating them with an aqueous solution of glue and- 7 hair of the seed, of kapok (Em'odendron anfractuosum) Galotropis procem,- pseudochina, cotton silks, acundha, and of the group, of Asclepz'as and the like, most of which are designated cotton silks, which consists in treating the fibers with an aqueous solution of glue containing coloring matter thereby dissolving a portion of the incrusting substances Within the single hair, extracting the same therefrom. and thereby shrinking the smooth surface of the fibers and converting it into a rough surface.

5. The hereindescribed process of treating brittle vegetable fibers of the character described, Which consists in removing there from by means of an aqueous solution containing coloring matter, the adhering, incrusting substances and thereby shrinking the smooth surface of the fibers and converting it into a rough surface.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

EMIL GUSTAV STARK.

Witnesses:

\VILLIAM J. KOUJETSUY, M. F. BENNDORF. 

